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Line infantry are the mainstay of any army. They form the battle line and are skilled with muskets and bayonets.

Fusiliers advance upon the enemy, firing volley after volley before they close with fixed bayonets. Although they are foot soldiers, and lack the dash and élan of cavalry, they take a justifiable pride in their worth in battle. They can form square when threatened by cavalry, and give other enemy infantry a bloody time but they are still vulnerable to shelling by artillery and sniping by skirmishers.

The fusiliers were considered the ordinary soldiers of Napoleon’s army. They enjoyed little of the prestige and privileges showered on the Emperor’s precious guards, his artillery formations, or the light troops. Yet they were vital to his victories: strong, dependable and loyal to Napoleon. They could be counted on to do his marshals’ bidding in almost every circumstance.

Fusiliers of Line are the standard line infantry of France. They are unremarkable, being roughly equal to PrussianMusketeers, slightly superior to Austria'sGerman Fusiliers, superior at a distance but inferior in melee to Russian Musketeers, and generally inferior to BritishFoot. While they might not be as strong as most other line infantry options for France, Fusiliers of Line are relatively cheap and are the only French line infantry that may be trained in unlimited number. As with other line infantry, their large numbers and resistance to morale shocks make them ideal for absorbing damage and holding the line of battle. They can form squares, giving them a powerful defensive bonus when fighting cavalry at the cost of mobility and increased vulnerability to artillery fire.